Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is sensitive to changes in cerebral hemodynamics and blood oxygenation associated with brain activation. The study aims to visualize activation of a-chloralose anesthetized rat somatosensory (pial) cortex via stimulation of the sciatic nerve for investigating (a) the effects of anesthesia on the somatosensory pathway, (b) the roles of various neurotransmitters in the activation-metabolic coupling, and (c) the presence of cell swelling during brain activation. To further the goals of the rf pulse shape and sequence core, the study entails (a) implementation of interleaved 3-D fMRI acquisition schemes, (b) incorporation of adiabatic rf pulses, and (c) development of linescan techniques for monitoring activation dynamics with high temporal resolution.